written by:Â BRAD MEE
A fresh mix of vintage and modern elements transform an obsolete 1937 kitchen into a high-style, highly organized space.
How does one create a new contemporary kitchen that suits the style and space of a 1937 house? Designer Gregg Hodson, principal of Gregg Hodson Interior Design in Salt Lake City, did exactly that. He combined the areas of an original pantry and dingy cook space and turned them into a small kitchen overflowing with fantastic features and big-time function.
“I wanted the kitchen to look like a charming tile box, says Hodson who covered every wall in the small room with white, 4-by-12-inch ceramic tiles. He used white grout to prevent the tile pattern from overwhelming the small space. To foster a vintage vibe, Hodson chose gray stain rather than chip-prone paint for the custom, clean-lined cabinets and worked with Clint Call to develop the vertically grooved, grained finish.
To avoid visual clutter over the island, Hodson decided against showy pendant lights. Instead, he chose simple outdoor fixtures that he mounted on the ceiling.
Savvy design fosters generous, easy-to-access storage, even inside the deep corner cabinet. Terrazzo-patterned Caesarstone countertops—a nod to mid-century, says Hodson—join appropriately proportioned appliances (including a Miele induction cooktop) and simple lighting to keep the little space bright, clean-lined and uncluttered.
Hodson chose a Kohler stainless steel sink with a half partition. “You can fill it up as a single basin or use divided sections for smaller needs,” he says. Above the sink, windows open to a charming back yard. The designer painted the inside of the wood casement windows dark to make them “pop” and dramatically frame the views.
A pull-out cutting board is ideally positioned left of the sink and right of the refrigerator. Below the cutting board, a customized knife drawer puts cutting tools close at hand.
The small kitchen island not only provides storage and a place to perch, but it also cleverly houses (and disguises) an air return for the heating and cooling system. On the right, a solid wall of cabinetry serves as a large pantry and a storage spot for brooms and other cleaning tools.
Every kitchen benefits from custom design, particularly small rooms where every inch counts,” says Hodson who prizes organization. He worked with craftsman Clint Call to customize every drawer down to the trays and storage slots for individual utensils.
Bright orange wing chairs boasting large scale and modern silhouettes anchor the ends of a farm table serving the adjacent kitchen. Hodson tiled the wall between the dining area and kitchen to visually link the two rooms.
